A city neighbourhood is preparing for a spectacular attraction this Christmas season.

The Garden Quarter community has been pulling out all the stops to ensure that its Christmas Market will be one of Chester’s favourite ‘go to’ events this December.

Organisers are delighted that the offer for shoppers and visitors will be the best yet, after months of work securing some of the finest specialist traders in the region. They have also been collaborating with schools, churches, the University of Chester, choirs and musicians to ensure that people will have a magical Christmas experience when they visit.

The Christmas Market will take place on Saturday, December 3 in the Victorian surroundings of St Thomas’ Church on Parkgate Road. The church will not only play host to dozens of specialist stalls, but also a bistro offering festive fayre and a round the clock programme of Christmas entertainment, including university bands, children’s choirs and Victorian storytelling.

Market organiser Sarra Cooper said: “Newcomers to our market will be totally thrilled when they walk through the doors and see what a magical event this is. Parents will be able to bring their children to visit Santa Claus in his grotto, and the early birds will be able to walk away with beautiful Nordman Fir Christmas Trees.”

The Christmas Market will be opened by cabaret impresario Neil Kendall.

Cabaret impresario Neil Kendall will open the Christmas Market

Sarra added: “We don’t have to look too far in the Garden Quarter to find celebrities; Neil Kendall has a string of accolades to his name; he was UK Vintage Photographer of 2015 and has gained an international reputation for producing his unique variety festivals up and down the country and abroad. Although he lives in the Garden Quarter, we had to call him whilst he was hosting a cabaret festival in Rome to check he was still free to open our Christmas Market in Chester!”

Co-chair of the Garden Quarter Association Matt Baker said: “For over a decade we have worked with many of our local organisations in putting on a whole range of Christmas events; these include our very popular light switch-on event which attracts hundreds of people to Garden Lane as our main shopping street is illuminated with gorgeous trees, but also we host festive film nights at our community cinema, our much loved community nNativity where the youngest baby in the neighbourhood gets to play the star role of Jesus in the manger, and special candlelit events in the churches along with festive knees-ups in our local pubs. There really is something for everyone.”

Matt added: “The Christmas Market has grown massively from year to year. We are in a very diverse corner of the city, and we aim to embrace people of all ages, children, students and our more senior members in this event. I think people of all ages will be thrilled when they come along. There is also a raffle with some amazing prizes and a large cash top prize.”

The Christmas Market is part of Christmas in the Garden Quarter festival and takes place at St Thomas’ Church on Parkgate Road near the University of Chester Parkgate Road Campus. The event runs from 10.30am until 4pm. For more information people can check the Garden Quarter page on Facebook or by following @GardenQuarter on Twitter, or people can call 07855 497692 for more information.